VI. osnovna škola Varaždin

Pupils and teachers of the 6th Primary School Varaždin as a role model for Croatian educational system.

On 4th November 2016 there was a presentation of new activities of our school curriculum and extracurricular activities which our pupils can choose to take up. A Croatian National Television HRT's crew, led by Ms. Sunčica Findak, came to our school and filmed our pupils during these activities in order to make a report. Several pupils from each group were selected to show what they normally do in these activities.

There are many activities that both younger and older pupils can choose among, and they enrich our school curriculum. The new activities that our pupils presented were: Young Scientists, Young Technicians, Early Physics Learning, Young Computer Scientists, Home Economics, Ethno Group, My 6 Minutes, Tea with the Principal, Traffic Group, Bicycle Repair, Orientational Running, Astronomy Group, EU Projects, Cooperation with CAS – Croatian American Society, Bookworms' Club, Chess, Photography Group and Journalists Group.

Young Scientists Group is attended by pupils from the 1st to the 4th grade and taught by Ms. Aleksandra Oreški (1-4 grade teacher)  and Ms. Mihaela Vrbnjak Grđan (chemistry and biology teacher). In this class pupils do some simple experiments from the area of chemistry and biology, take notes and come to their own conclusions. Young Technicians Group is also attended by pupils from the 1st to the 4th grade and taught by Ms. Petra Lončarić Časar (1-4 grade teacher), Ms. Marijana Buhin (physics teacher)  and Mr. Mijo Sučić (technical education teacher). In this class pupils do some simple experiments from the area of physics and technical education, as well as develop their motorical skills while sawing, sanding etc. Early Physics Learning is a group comprised of the 5th and 6th grade pupils and it is taught by Ms. Marijana Buhin (physics teacher). In this class pupils do some simple experiments from the area of physics and learn the basic laws of physics.  Young Computer Scientists Group is attended by pupils from the 1st to the 4th grade and taught by Ms. Margareta Živković (1-4 grade teacher)  and Mr. Dario Mijač (computer science teacher). In this class pupils learn the basics of programming and how to make their own simple programmes. Home Economics was introduced the previous school year and this school year it is taught by Ms. Nives Blažunaj and Ms. Gordana Lešnjak (both 1-4 grade teachers). Ethno group is taught by Ms. Nikolina Kelemenić (1-4 grade teacher) and attended by pupils from grades 1 to 6, who learn about folk traditions and how to dance folk dances. Another interesting activity in our school is Tea with the Principle, an occasion on which pupils from the 1st to the 8th grade can come to the principle's office, have some tea with our principle, Mr. Mario Stančić, discuss the schools problems and give their own suggestion. Also, pupils of every single class, from grades 1 to 8, make their own radio shows entitled My 6 Minutes, each class choosing their own topic, assisted by the radio group led by Ms. Branka Kiđemet (1-4 grade teacher).  Pupils from grades 5-8 attend the Traffic Group taught by Mr. Mijo Sučić (technical education teacher). They regulate the traffic near our school in the morning when other pupils are arriving to school and they raise the awareness about the importance of being cautious when in traffic. A Cooperative organised in our school started the Bicycle Repair in which Mr. Dario Mijač (computer science teacher) teaches children how to repair their bikes. Orienteering or Orientational Running can be attended by pupils from the 1st to the 8th grade together with their parents and is led by Ms. Karmen Holenda (chemistry and biology teacher). These pupils often go to the forest during the weekends, where they run surrounded by nature, learn how to orient, determine the points of the compass and find given coordinates. Astronomy Group is attended by the 4th to 8th grade pupils and taught by Ms. Bojana Perko (history and geography teacher), Ms. Alenka Bađun (geography teacher) and Mr. Mario Stančić (the school principle). They learn about the universe, planets, galaxies, etc. Our school is also taking part in the EU projects led by Ms. Tina Čerpinko (English teacher). Pupils who take part in these projects must be fluent in English language and German language and have excellent marks. Our teachers have already visited Denmark, Poland, Slovenia and Austria as part of these projects, sometimes accompanied by their pupils as well. Cooperation of our school and CAS (Croatian American Society) is coordinated by Ms. Natalija Hranjec (English and German teacher). Bookworms' Club is attended by pupils from the 5th to 8th grades and led by Ms. Zdenka Šopar (Croatian teacher). It is gradually turning into a Debate Group. Mr. Mijo Sučić teaches the group in which pupils from 1st to 8th grade can learn how to play chess. Photography Group is led by Ms. Željka Dugi Sokač (1-4 grade teacher) and Mr. Filip Novosel (English teacher). The Journalist Group is led by Ms. Ivana Canjuga (Croatian teacher), Ida Lacković (1-4 grade teacher) and Anita Perkov (Croatian teacher) who teach pupils the basics of journalism. Pupils write their own articles, do interviews, etc. But they also create our school newspaper called „Šestica (Number 6)“ which combines all the news about our school. There is also the English Journalists Group led by Ms. Andreja Remar Vidrač (English teacher) and the German Journalists Group is led by Ms. Marijana Martinec (German teacher).

The report on our school was shown on Sunday  in the central Evening News of Croatian Television and in this way our school was presented to the general public as a role model for other schools in Croatia. We are extremely proud that our school was recognized as one of the best schools in the Republic of Croatia, already implementing its own reform of the school system.